


Can I lay by your side?

by milkcartonn



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Despair Disease (Dangan Ronpa), Multi, if there isn't more amamota content ill make it my damn self, kaito has despair disease, shuichi is here but doesn't have an important enough part yet for me to tag him as a char
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29974929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milkcartonn/pseuds/milkcartonn
Summary: Amamota content in 2021? Yes SIR!!Kaito, Kokichi, and some other characters are infected with the despair disease. Rantaro has volunteered to help take care of Kaito, but Kaito begins to spiral and feel as though everyone is out to get him due to being afflicted with distrust. Meanwhile there's Kokichi, who now has zero filter, and can't stop himself from sharing his honest thoughts.TLDR: Some good ol' Amamota, angst, and Kokichi (eventually) learning how to make a friend in Kaito Momota.
Relationships: Amami Rantaro/Momota Kaito
Comments: 5
Kudos: 18





	Can I lay by your side?

**Author's Note:**

> shoutout 2 my bestie izzy for reading this and giving me the courage to post it!!
> 
> anyway, I've been having so much brainrot for amamota content, that I just decided to hell with combing through ao3, I'll just make the content I wanna see myself. Some characters will be mentioned that don't have enough of a noteworthy presence yet imo to be tagged (as in only like.. they're mentioned once), so I'll be listing the characters that appear every chapter!
> 
> Cw  
> \- Kaito but like .. i hope he and Rantaro are why you're here  
> \- Rantaro  
> \- Kokichi  
> \- Shuichi (VERY briefly)  
> \- The BRIEFEST mention of Miu
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!! <3

Waking up in an immense amount of pain isn’t exactly foreign to Kaito- but it’s the way the pain is  _ all over _ rather than a strong burning feeling in his throat and chest, urging him to cough until it feels like his lungs are going to bleed.

But along with that, he feels  _ extremely  _ cold. Colder than he’s ever felt in his life. The thin blankets Monokuma had provided for him and the rest of the students at the beginning of this damn killing game were doing  _ nothing  _ for him. It felt like he could barely move. So.. definitely a red flag.

_ Am I dying? _

_ Is this it? _

_ I haven’t even gone to space, I can’t be dying- _

But before he can allow himself to spiral any further, Kaito somehow (after a  lot of internal debate) convinces himself to get up and get dressed. Besides- maybe putting on more clothes will help with the cold. Something.. Like that. Yeah. 

He throws on one more jacket than usual, despite the fact that he is  _ uncontrollably  _ sweating, and just prays most of his classmates have the  _ decency  _ to not point it out. Of course, Miu’s gonna make fun of him, he already knows that. Kaito steps outside, full body trembling as his hunger is what convinces him to head for the dining hall. Once he  _ does  _ step outside, Kaito realizes it’s a bit.. Later than usual. 

_ Wait a second.. Did I miss the morning announcement? Or did it just never.. Play?  _ His mind was running a mile a minute, and the astronaut himself could barely keep up. 

Along the way, Kaito spots Kokichi Ouma- who looks equally worse for wear. Though, when he’s spotted by the leader, the other somehow manages a grin and chuckles.

“Geez, Kaito! Are you okay? You look like shit!” 

Initially only Kaito pauses at the remark, while Kokichi waits patiently with a raised eyebrow and usual catlike grin. Then, the leader finally realizes _what_ he  said _ , _ and covers his mouth with a hand. Kaito.. Gets this odd, sick feeling pooling in his stomach, as he grips the rail of the stairs.

“I didn’t..?” Kokichi trails off, backing up from Kaito in the process. However, Kaito’s too busy reeling from the overwhelming urge to  _ puke  _ to contribute much.

“Th..the hell did you say?”

“The hell..  _ Did  _ I say?” Kokichi repeats, looking equally as surprised as Kaito feels.

However, despite his own confusion, Kokichi looks over at Kaito with a note of concern. “H-hey! I don’t know what’s going on, but if this is some kind of-!” and he cuts himself off as Kaito can’t fight off the nausea anymore, and the astronaut finds himself sinking to his hands and knees.

_ What’s.. Wrong.. With me..?  _ Is all he can mumble out under his breath, as the room spins around him.

“K..Kai..to..?”

All Kaito can do is spout some sort of incomprehensible plea for help before trying to reach out to Kokichi. He hears Kokichi shuffle back, but Kaito just makes a weak groan before trying to support himself.

Everything is too hot. Or, too cold. Kaito can’t decide if he wants to take the jackets off, or if he wants to keep them on and wrap them tightly around himself until he can barely breathe. His vision continuously blurs, with a migraine that’s too strong for him to fight off, until everything goes black.

Oh, no, Kaito Momota has just passed the hell out.

.. 

…

_ …? _

He opens his eyes to darkness- with pinholes of light scattered here and there, and.. Hushed voices talking around him.

Something about this.. Thing.. Called the despair disease.

He hears Rantaro Amami by one side, and Shuichi on the other. Something.. Feels off about it, but Kaito can’t figure out why for the life of him.

“The best thing we can do right now is wait. He’ll.. Be okay, Shuichi.”

“..I hope so.”

“When you check on Kokichi.. Let me know how he’s doing, okay? He mentioned he trusts you, if it’s not too much of a hassle.. Maybe you should be the one to take care of him.”

There’s a brief pause.

“You’re right, but..” and Kaito can almost feel eyes on him, “..is..  _ He..? _ ”

“I got this. I’ve taken care of sick people before, don’t worry.”

Why doesn’t Kaito have the energy to speak up? He feels a hand run over his forehead, and Kaito leans away from the touch- despite how badly he just wants to rest his face in it. There’s a hint of cool metal in some spots.. Oh yeah. Rings. Kaito numbly reaches up to touch his own face, and he hears a soft ‘oh’ from Rantaro. The cool hand leaves him, and Kaito pouts slightly (despite leaning away from it initially, yes) as he touches a hand to his eyes. There’s a cool cloth on his face, but Kaito moves it away. 

The sudden burst of light is headache inducing, as the astronaut screws his eyes shut and winces hard.

“Hey man. How’re you holding up?” Rantaro asks in a kind voice. Kaito opens his eyes once the overhead light is switched off by the mystery ultimate, and scans the ceiling.. Oh. He’s.. back in his room. Kaito looks over at Rantaro, taking in a shaky breath. Something.. Something is off about this. Kaito isn’t sure  _ what  _ yet, but something.. Something is very, very wrong.

“..Fine.” The lie would’ve gone over much smoother if Kaito hadn’t actually fainted prior to their conversation. Rantaro(..?) clicks his tongue in a soft yet disapproving fashion, taking the semi-damp cloth from Kaito’s clenched hand in the process. “..Kokichi came and got us.” Rantaro explains, carefully dipping the cloth into a bowl of water beside Kaito’s bed. Kaito doesn’t say anything- instead he watches as Rantaro wrings most of the water out of the cloth. The other can pretend he isn’t, but Kaito can practically feel Rantaro staring at him through the corner of his eye. 

“Why Kokichi?” he might as well ask.

“He said he was worried.”

“Kokichi..? You mean,  _ our  _ Kokichi..?”

Rantaro frowns a bit at that, though he doesn’t voice  _ why. _ Something about that sets Kaito’s mind off. Come to think of it, Kokichi  _ had  _ expressed concern earlier, and even the leader.. Sounded somewhat surprised because of it. Kaito frowns a bit, wondering why that was weird. From anyone else, it’d be a normal show of concern, but..

“Kaito..”

“Huh?”

“How’re you feeling… _ really? _ ” Rantaro asks carefully, before laying the damp cloth back onto his forehead. Kaito feels a soft breath of relief trail out of himself, despite some part of him wanting to keep it internal.

“Not my best, but I’ll be back up and attem within-”

“You’re infected.” Rantaro cuts him off, and there’s a  _ long  _ pause as Kaito tries.. To process what that could mean. Kaito looks up at Rantaro through half lidded eyes, the corners of his mouth tugged into a soft frown of confusion. “The hell do you mean  _ infected?  _ Sure, I don’t feel  _ great, _ but..” he trails off as Rantaro settles into a chair beside him, expression hard to read. Or.. maybe that’s because Kaito’s vision is a little blurry the further things become. .. Nah, that’s probably just the sickness.

“It’s Monokuma’s new motive.” Rantaro explains, and all Kaito can do is stare at him with poorly veiled confusion.

“Oh.. that explains it.”

“You know what it is?”

A long pause.

“..no.” Kaito admits, and Rantaro (who Kaito continuously catches himself staring at when he can focus- but it’s solely to try and gauge his expression) gives a soft sigh.

“It’s.. apparently this disease Monokuma released upon the school. Seems to have gotten only you and Kokichi so far.. If I’m right.” Rantaro says, shrugging after. Kaito watches in silent confusion, wondering if Rantaro  _ always  _ sat weirdly on chairs. The undeclared ultimate had one leg up on the arm of the chair, and was leaning heavily to the other side, chin in a palm as he watches Kaito with a look of sympathy.

Or, is it? Kaito isn’t sure if it’s sympathy, or an act.

_ Why would.. He lie to me, though? _ Kaito’s brain tiredly tries to rationalize, and he thinks about it for a few seconds.. Before exhaustedly waving the thought away. 

“So what does it do?”   
“That’s.. The thing. We’re not really sure. He didn’t even tell us what you guys have.” Rantaro admits with a flash of frustration in his eyes- something that’s quickly concealed, but something that Kaito won’t let himself forget. “It’s made Kokichi act really.. Off.. but you seem fine, aside from incredibly sick.” he notes, and shifts position in order to fidget with a ring or two on his hand. Kaito doesn’t know what to say, except for a weak nod.

“Earlier.. I think.. It sounded like he couldn’t control what he was saying.”

“..you should’ve seen him when he came to get Shuichi and I.” Rantaro muses- though his smile seems to hold.. Concern? Maybe. Rather than amusement. Since when was it so hard for himself to keep his eyes open, he wonders..? “The guy was a nervous wreck.”.

Kaito blinks a few times, trying to keep up.

“ _ Kokichi _ was worried?”   
“..yeah. Extremely.”

_ So.. I did actually hear what I heard? _

But what the hell is Kaito even supposed to  _ say  _ to that? ‘Tell him thanks’? For what, basic human decency? Regardless, apparently he doesn’t reply quickly enough (or Rantaro simply wants to ditch the topic, Kaito can’t tell which), because Rantaro moves on.

“Sorry for keeping you up, but.. You should really rest. I’ll bring back something for you to eat soon, okay?” Rantaro says, smiling softly at kaito. Kaito doesn’t smile back- he doesn’t have the energy to fake it, and he doesn’t want to anyway. He manages a soft, “thanks.” because he doesn’t know what he’s expected to say in return.

That.. cloudy state of confusion, seems to be only getting stronger.

“..Rantaro?” Kaito calls, when the ultimate has  _ just  _ managed to grasp the doorknob.

“Yeah?”   
“..uh. Tell.. Makiroll and Shu.. there’s nothing to worry about.. Okay?”

“..sleep well, Kaito.”

..It was worth a shot.


End file.
